Process for producing wool-like effects on cotton fabrics.



GEORG HEBERLEIN, OF WATTWIL, SWITZERLAND.

PROCESS FOR PRODUCING WOOL-LIKE EFFECTS ON COTTON FABRICS.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Dr. GEORG HEBER- mm, a citizen of the Swiss Republic, and resident of VVattwil, canton of St. Gall, Switzerland, have invented a new and useful Process for Producing Wool-Like Effects on Cotton Fabrics. of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

If a mercerized fabric be treated with a sulfuric acid of about 49 to 504 Baum, a particular wool-like effect is produced as is described in my U. S. Letters Patent No. 1141872 dated June 1, 1915. Similar changes in the cotton take place if the fabric be first treated with sulfuric acid of 49 to 504 Baum and then acted upon with concentrated soda-lye.

From the foregoing statement it is obvious that on the one hand the action of the sulfuric acid is the more intense if the cotton has been previously treated with sodalye and on the other hand that a cotton which has been subjected to the action of concentrated sulfuric acid comports itself differently during the subsequent treatment with soda-lye than is the case with cotton which has not been thus previously treated.

I have now found that still more extensive modifications of the cellulose and consequently increased woollike effects on cotton fabrics can be obtained by causing concentrated sulfuric acid of 49 to 50% Baum and concentrated soda lye to act upon the said fabrics several times alternately the sulfuric acid being always allowed to act each time for some minutes. If cotton, treated with concentrated soda-lye, is subjected for asecond time to the same treatment no further alteration thereof takes place, that is to say, the second treatment with soda-lye is without effect. Cotton behaves in an analo gous'manner in respect of the repeated action of concentrated sulfuric acid. If, however, the mercerized cotton is subsequently subjected to the action of concentrated sulfuric acid then the soda-lye again reacts and efiects a further change. The conditions are exactly the same if the first treatment is with concentrated sulfuric acid. If, in this case, a treatment with soda-lye then follows, the concentrated sulfuric acid will again subsequently react. The alternate treatment with acid and alkali can be repeated several times, the number of manipulations natu- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

Application filed May 18, 1916. Serial No. 98,295.

rally being limited by the progressing solution of the cellulose.

In order to obtain increased woollike ef' fects it is necessary that one or other of the two reagents shall be employed at least twice with the intermediate action of the other agent, for example, soda-lye-sulfuric acid sodalyeor sulfuric acid-soda-lye. sulfuric acid. In between the reactions the goods must be well washed and if desired, subsequently dried.

It will be obvious that most varied wool like effects are to be obtained according to the number of manipulations and, moreover, according as to whether the first or last treatment takes place with concentrated alkali lye or concentrated acid, the concentration of the sulfuric acid employed being always 49 to 50{- Baum as described in my already specified U. S. Letters Patent No. 1141872. Variations in the quality of the fabric can also be obtained by more or less stretching the same in the longitudinal and transverse direction during one treatment or during several treatments that is to say by allowing it to shrink more or less.

Finally, pattern effects may be obtained by printing the acid or alkali at one or more of the operations only upon particular portions of the fabric, or by printing on articular portions of the fabric a resist for instance gum thickening), either at the commencement of the operation or between the first and the second or between two successive operations, the said resist preventing a further reaction of the acid or alkali. Those portions which are not printed with acid or alkali or which have beenreserved showthe fabric in its original or partly altered condition and differentiate themselves from the printed or un-reserved portions which have, experienced a more thorough modification so that more or less sharp patterns are produced.

That I claim is:

1. The herein described process for imparting to cotton fabrics a wool-like appearance, consisting in causing concentrated a1 kali lye and sulfuric acid of 49 to 504 Baum to act alternately and repeatedly upon the fabrics in such a manner that a treatment with one of the said reagents takes place between two treatments with the other,

fabrics each time for some minutes, the fabrics being washed out after each treatment.

2. The herein described process for imparting to cotton a wool like appearance,

I consisting in causing concentrated alkali lye and sulfuric acid of 49 to 50% Baumto act alternately and repeatedly-upon the fabrics in such a manner that a treatment with one of the said reagents takes place between two treatments with the other, the fabrics being stretched at least during one of the said treatments, the sulfuric acid being allowed to act on the fabrics each time for some minutes and the fabrics being washed out after each treatment.

3. The herein described process for producing wool'like pattern effects on cotton fabrics, consisting in causing concentrated alkali lye and sulfuric acid of 49 to 501} Baum' to act alternately and repeatedly upon the fabrics in such a manner that a treatment with one of the said reagents. takes place between two treatments with the other, at least at one of the said treatments the reagent employed being caused to react the sulfuric acid being allowed to act on the .fabrics each time for some minutes and the fabrics being washed after each treatment.

4. The herein described process for pro- 30 ducing wool-like pattern effects on cotton fabrics, consisting in causing concentrated alkali lye and sulfuric acid of 49 to 50% Baum to act alternately and v repeatedly upon the fabrics in such a manner that a some minutes andthe fabrics being-washed 45 out after each treatment.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 29th day of April 1916, in the presence of two subscribin witnesses. DR. GEQRG EBERLEIN.

Witnesses: 3

F. BAUMRATZ, A. Murrrs. 

